The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-09-24

the latter piece OF tobacco ana sonie
crackers and cheese, and he soon went
away, and we were so busy up to nine
o'clock that / had not give the droyer
much attention. When we came to shut
up the store he had gone from my mlnd
altogether. We counted up the cash.
made some charges in the day-book'
and it was about ten o'clock when the
merchant left. / was tired out and
took a candle and made the circuit OF
the store, set the spring-gun, and went
to the trap door as went to my room'
but did not see it 1t was rather
chilly night in October and we had no
fires yet, and as got under the
blankets the warmth was so grateful
that | soon fell asleep. TWAS the first
night that l had gone to bed without
thinking ofrobbers and wondering how
/ should act in case any came in. l
did not know when / fell asleep. l
suddenly found myself half-upright in
bed, and there was an echo in the store
as if the fall of something had aroused
me. 1t was one o'clock, and | had
been asleep almost three hours. Lean
ing on my elbow, l strained my ears
to catch the slightest sound, and after
minute | heard movement down
stairs. While could not say what it
was, a sort of instinct told me that 1T
was made by some human being,
Every thing on the street was as silent
as the grave. My window curtain was
up, and could see that the sky had
thickened up and was very black. l
did not wait for the noise to be re-
peated.
was Just as sure that some one was
in the store as though | had already
seen him, and crept softly out of bed,
drew on my trousers and moved out
into the big room, having the revolver
in my hand. There was no door at the
head of the stairs. intended TO go
there and listen down the stairway As
| was moving across the room, which
was then pretty clear of goods as far as
the trap-door, | suddenly recollected
this opening and changed my course to
reach it. 1t was terribly dark in the
room, and one unfamiliar with the
place would not have dared to move a
foot. Halfway to the trap got down
on my hands and knees, and as
reached the opening l settled down on
my stomach. There was a dim light
downstairs. That settled the fact that
some one was in the store. After q
minute / heard whispers, then the
movement of feet, then certain sound,
which located the intruders to foot
They were at the safe in the front Of
the store. drew myself forward and
looked down the opening. / could see
lighted candle and two or three dark
figures at the safe, and ] could hear the
combination being worked. My first
thought was to drop my hand down
and open fire in their direction, but
remembered that we had so many
articles hanging up that no bullet haC
any chance of reaching the safe. was
wondering what to do when | heard
one of the men whisper;
ats all blamed nonsense. w,
might work here week and not hi
it. " .r
But told you to bring the tool
and YOU would mott
"Oh, dry up" protested another
"What we want to do is to 90 up anC
bring that counter-hopper down ant
) make him open the box.
am give the cussed thing few
more trials" said the first man, and
heard him working away again. Ny
: eyes could not have told me the nun
Der of robbers, but my ears had
There were three of them, and the,
were no doubt desperate and deter
: mined men. They spoke of bringing m,
down and opening the safe as if no re
: sstance was anticipated or taken int
: account, Indeed, they might well rea
: son that they had me at their mercy
, The rain was now falling, the nigh
5 was very dark, and pistol shot coult
: not be heard in either of the dwellings
} If they had reflected that l might b.
armed they would have offset it will
+ the fact that | was boy of eighteen
| with a girls face and probably girl
+ nerve.
l don't deny that was a bit ratified
, and that my lip would culver in spit
t of me, but was at the same time full
4 determined. To get at the fellows wa
l what bothered me. but that trouble wa
, soon solved. There" whispered tn
5 man at the combination, as he let O
of it, IL won't fool here another min
t ute. That kid knows the combination
) and we can make him work it. c IN
! on" They were coming upstairs Th
l best place for me would be right at tn
' head of the stairway. The stairs ha
| a half turn in them, and l would fir
} upon the first man who came With